


Whispered in Soft Darkness

by ellacj



Series: 52 Weeks of Swan Queen [38]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, POV Zelena, Season/Series 05, Spoilers, i just love zelena so much, lowkey a character study about zelena
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-23 18:39:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4887610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellacj/pseuds/ellacj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hope begins in the dark."</p><p>-Anne Lamott</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whispered in Soft Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR 05x01 "DARK SWAN"
> 
> I think we should all just give up any hope of me ever being on time again

Regina Mills is in love.

But not with the man she should be. No, anyone with two eyes and a brain could see it. Which, now that Zelena thinks about it, is why none of the Charming squad have. Regina isn’t in love with Robin as they all – even Regina herself – may think. Regina’s in love with Emma Swan.

Zelena saw it when she first arrived in Storybrooke, but once Robin entered the picture she mistakenly shifted her focus to him, in hopes that it would hurt her sister ever more. She was wrong, however. It’s written plainly in the way Regina bursts into her cell one day with a desperation in her eyes she never had when Robin was in Zelena’s control.

“Something’s happened to Emma,” Robin says gravely, and Zelena takes a glance at her sister and for the first time looks into chocolate eyes dancing with the truest, rawest fear she’s ever seen. For a moment of weakness she _cares_ about Regina. She actually _wants_ to save Emma and let her sister be happy for once in her life.

That doesn’t last long.

But from that moment on, she looks for it. The love between them. She hears it bundled in the way Regina tenderly speaks Emma’s name, folded neatly between the syllables like a miniature firework of emotions she keeps tucked deep inside the recesses of her body.

And it’s there in Regina’s face when she first lays eyes on Emma, the mixture of fear and relief dancing in their depths for the second time that day making Zelena feel a wave of compassion. _Damn hormones_ , she thinks to herself. This baby is turning her soft.

Emma loves Regina, too, Zelena decides, when Emma turns away from her pirate and hands the dagger to Regina with a single eyebrow raised. As though asking a question to which she already knows the answer. And of course the both of them are too idiotic, too stubborn to pull away from their respective bearded beards and finally share true happiness.

Zelena knows she should be happy about that. Instead, it just makes her feel a sort of melancholy. Almost like she wants to give Regina a hug.

She asks her about it one night, sleeping on the floor of the uprooted Granny’s Diner. While everyone else sleeps, the two of them lie awake, still angry but connected in their mutual insomnia. “What are you going to do about Emma?” Zelena murmurs.

Regina rolls over to face her, and for the first time, there’s not a trace of hostility in her face. “We’re going to find Merlin and get her back.”

“I don’t mean that. I mean, what are _you_ going to do about Emma? How you feel about her?”

“And how do you think I feel about her?”

Zelena raises an eyebrow. “I know we’ve had our differences, but we are family. I can read you. You love her, don’t you?”

Regina’s quiet for a long time. “I love Robin.”

“You love Robin the same way I do. He’s convenient, he’s easy. But he’s not someone you can spend your life with; we both know that.”

“Then why did you go after him?”

Zelena sighs. She rolls onto her back. “I really thought you cared for him. You almost convinced me, sis.”

“What’s changed your mind?”

“Everything.” Zelena pauses to think of the right words, pulling at a loose thread on the end of her sleeve. “The way you always believe in her, no matter the circumstances. You see the best in her. Always.”

Regina nods and shifts to lie on her back as well. “She’s an easy person to believe in.”

“Because you love her.”

There’s a long silence, and Zelena begins to wonder if Regina’s fallen asleep on her, until finally she speaks again. “Suppose you’re right. It’s not as though she loves me.”

Zelena scoffs. “You two really are idiots. It’s a good thing I’m here.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She loves you, Regina. You’re the person she trusts the most out of everyone here – even more than her bloody pirate. I’d think that makes you awfully special.”

Regina shakes her head. “You’re wrong. Killian is Emma’s happy ending, and Robin is mine. There’s no other possibilities.”

“You don’t know how long I spent thinking the same thing,” Zelena murmurs. “But there’s always another choice, even if you don’t think so.”

Regina turns her head to face Zelena. “Why are you telling me all this? You’ve spent your life trying to destroy my happiness.”

“And you spent your life trying to destroy Snow White’s. People change, sis. You of all people should know that.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

“I am.” Zelena smiles. “You should talk to Emma. I think after all this time she deserves to know the truth, don’t you?”

Regina offers a bright smile in return, and her hand reaches out in the darkness to clutch Zelena’s. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Seriously, don’t. I have a reputation to maintain.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Regina chuckles. “I’ve got bigger things to worry about than your reputation.” She curls herself tighter and draws her blanket closer around her body. “Good night, sis,” she mumbles.

“Good night.” Zelena watches as Regina falls asleep, finds herself staring at the gentle flutter of her sister’s eyelashes and rubbing her slightly swollen stomach and thinking about family. Emma got a second chance at it, didn’t she? Maybe Zelena will get one, too. She supposes she has a lot of making up to do first.

For now, she watches the rise and fall of Regina’s chest and wonders about finding home, finally, at last.


End file.
